Would Nikon make this announcement soon?

Wow, Canon is terminating DSLR production:

 

https://ymcinema.com/2021/12/28/canons-chairman-and-ceo-fujio-mitarai-eos-1d-x-mark-iii-is-our-last-dslr/?fbclid=IwAR3gOPV5KbWft7q_57eNJXktOIkJZXffK_SM3VWNbTv86sj-4LEp5d0Bf6I

Interesting!

 

There are/where thoughts that the D6 and D850 were unlikely to be replaced.

 

Although I've never used one, if would seem the D780 has some features, notably from the AF, that derive from the Z series. This has resulted in well integrated AF in LV, better than the D6 and D850.

 

Time for Nikon to announce it's a future intensions too....;)

I don't think that's quite what Canon said, they said the 1DX III will be their last flagship DSLR, i.e. 1-series. It may or may not mean that they won't make some other new model. However, of course it may be that I misunderstood the translation. :-)

 

Nikon could relatively easily update the D850 to use Z7 II sensor and perhaps also the Expeed 7 processor of the Z9 to improve LV AF and video capabilities, and include the improved viewfinder AF from the D6. I'd like to see this happen, but there is no certainty.

Canon didn't say they terminate production of DSLR all together but I believe they won't be introducing any DSLR in the future. I don't know if Nikon will make the announcement but I don't think they will introduce any new DSLR either.

Sales...it's all about sales. Canon and Nikon don't make cameras just to amuse the online community.

A couple of years ago, Canon had already indicated that there probably wouldn’t be any more new DSLR, i.e. EF mount, products, body and lens, but they left the door open that in case market conditions changed, Canon could still add new EF mount products. And they would continue to manufacture existing models.

 

I don’t see the need to explicitly make an announcement that they won’t introduce any new DSLRs.

 

I find it strange that Nikon still doesn’t have the common super teles such as 400/2.8 (yes, I am aware of the pre-announcement), 500/4, 600/4 to accompany the Z9, which apparently is a huge success. The Z lenses so far are excellent, but Nikon still has plenty of holes to fill. That should be their priority.

 

Seems to make no sense to introduce any new DSLRs that can never use those Z lenses.

Likely the Z 400/2.8 will cost so much that very few people will be buying it anyway. My guess is 15k€. Add a couple of Z9's and a 100-400 and we're at 31800€ for just covering two teles. I think many people who are considering Nikon probably want to take advantage of earlier top glass available for ridiculously low prices due to the brand's current reputation slump. And so they might as well use a D850 or its possible successor and save some money. Currently 200-400/4's can be had for 1000€ and 400/2.8 AF-S VR for 3000€, etc. The total cost is several times higher for a Z native setup which can focus reasonably on a moving subject. I am sure the Z9 is better, no doubt, but if one wants a reasonable tele usable in a forest (so at least f/4), the price for the native Z lens will probably be out of this world. For F mount Nikon make several mid-priced teles which are not available for Z mount, and even the lower-cost bodies such as D500 and D850 can handle pretty well in the photography of moving subjects. The user will be light weight from only being able to afford a few lenses and thus the bag won't weight much (brilliant), and let's not ignore how much lighter the wallet will feel. I'm not usually complaining about price but I find it quite annoying how many mid-priced lenses are missing from the Z lineup. Edited January 10, 2022 by ilkka_nissila

I think I will use my D50 today as a memorial to great DSLR's of the past.

I think Nikon is going continue with DSLRs, improvement have been incremental, D780 has even face-detection in 3D mirror down mode. Why in earth would Nikon stop to that.

I think Nikon is going continue with DSLRs, improvement have been incremental, D780 has even face-detection in 3D mirror down mode. Why in earth would Nikon stop to that.

Because they can sell very few of them. Are you going to buy one? Even I am a die hard DSLR/SLR user I don't think I would buy one.

D780 has even face-detection in 3D mirror down mode...

 

The D500, D750, D850, D5, D6 do as well.

I think Nikon is going continue with DSLRs, improvement have been incremental, D780 has even face-detection in 3D mirror down mode. Why in earth would Nikon stop to that.

Or rather, if you are using a DSLR, why would you want to use it in the "mirror down," i.e. live view mode, at least more than occasionally? Most of those who still use DSLRs because of the optical viewfinder. EVFs are very good now and are certainly better than composing from an LCD screen.

 

Likely the Z 400/2.8 will cost so much that very few people will be buying it anyway. My guess is 15k€. Add a couple of Z9's and a 100-400 and we're at 31800€ for just covering two teles. I think many people who are considering Nikon probably want to take advantage of earlier top glass available for ridiculously low prices due to the brand's current reputation slump. And so they might as well use a D850 or its possible successor and save some money. Currently 200-400/4's can be had for 1000€ and 400/2.8 AF-S VR for 3000€, etc.

There are always reasons that things are cheap, namely those former "top glass" are no longer desirable. That is the only reason their prices are ridiculously low now. I have the 2007 version of the 600mm/f4 AF-S VR. It is a lot heavier than the later 2015 version, which is in turn heavier than the current Canon and Sony 600mm/f4. After I bought that lens, I immediately realized that it was unstable on my Gitzo 3 series tripod, which I had been using for years with my 500mm/f4, so that I quickly bought a Gitzo 5 series tripod. All that extra weight makes that lens difficult to use. For example, in 8+ years of ownership, I have never traveled on an airplane with that lens. Additionally, that mechanical aperture control is very out of date now.

 

If I get a Z9, I would certainly upgrade to lenses with an AF system designed for mirrorless and have lighter weight as modern lenses do. Currently Nikon uses stepping motors on their Z lenses. Many of the higher-end S Line lenses have dual stepping AF motors. That technology is more suitable for smaller lenses. Perhaps it is taking Nikon longer to finalize the AF mechanism for their Z super teles.

 

Without native Z-mount super teles, it will be very difficult for Nikon to market the Z9 to customers without a lot of existing F-mount lenses.

Likely the Z 400/2.8 will cost so much that very few people will be buying it anyway. My guess is 15k€. Add a couple of Z9's and a 100-400 and we're at 31800€ for just covering two teles. I think many people who are considering Nikon probably want to take advantage of earlier top glass available for ridiculously low prices due to the brand's current reputation slump. And so they might as well use a D850 or its possible successor and save some money. Currently 200-400/4's can be had for 1000€ and 400/2.8 AF-S VR for 3000€, etc. The total cost is several times higher for a Z native setup which can focus reasonably on a moving subject. I am sure the Z9 is better, no doubt, but if one wants a reasonable tele usable in a forest (so at least f/4), the price for the native Z lens will probably be out of this world. For F mount Nikon make several mid-priced teles which are not available for Z mount, and even the lower-cost bodies such as D500 and D850 can handle pretty well in the photography of moving subjects. The user will be light weight from only being able to afford a few lenses and thus the bag won't weight much (brilliant), and let's not ignore how much lighter the wallet will feel. I'm not usually complaining about price but I find it quite annoying how many mid-priced lenses are missing from the Z lineup.

 

I think Nikon is doing as good as one can expect any company to be doing right now given the short and long term effects of the pandemic. The fact that they put so much focus on the Z9 and have thus far, successfully put out a full blown pro mirrorless product that justifies that focus is 100% where they need to be right now. Also I feel the lens prices are not too bad considering the more than modest to truly stunning upgrade in optical performance over their F mount counterparts. Heck, the Z9 came in at a grand less than the last couple pro F bodies. The 400mm 2.8 FL is sitting right around $12K with no built in converter. To assert that the Z mount 400 2.8 will be closer to $17K (E15K) is a bit of a reach in my opinion, Nikon has always played the long game and that pricing is not long game strategy. I'd say take a wait and see approach on that, I personally suspect it will not top $14K.

 

I have almost always been patient with Nikon since the products I choose to use have helped me play my long game. There are more great lenses and cameras to come and that glass is a lot more than half full.

 

As for DSLR's, given how many formats and systems I use, I doubt I will use DSLR's again with mirrorless nearing full strength. I no longer own one.

Or rather, if you are using a DSLR, why would you want to use it in the "mirror down," i.e. live view mode, at least more than occasionally? Most of those who still use DSLRs because of the optical viewfinder. EVFs are very good now and are certainly better than composing from an LCD screen.

 

When he mentioned "mirror down" mode I took that to mean optical viewfinder. I would think of live view mode as "mirror up". Different interpretations perhaps?

When he mentioned "mirror down" mode I took that to mean optical viewfinder. I would think of live view mode as "mirror up". Different interpretations perhaps?

Thanks. Perhaps I understood that wrong since I hadn't seen the term "mirror down" before. The D780 has adopted some of the Z6's features but of course only in live view mode. A lot of new AF features such as eye detection (human and animal), car detection, bicycle detection ... are through the sensor, which is only possible in the live-view mode on DSLRs.

 

I certainly don't see Nikon introducing any more DSLRs, other than maybe some anniversary special editions. Even another retro Df type body seems very unlikely now. But I also don't see any need to officially announce that no more new DSLRs are forthcoming. Nikon announces new products, but they don't announce that they won't introduce something.

I don't think that's quite what Canon said, they said the 1DX III will be their last flagship DSLR, i.e. 1-series. It may or may not mean that they won't make some other new model. However, of course it may be that I misunderstood the translation. :)

Canon didn't say they terminate production of DSLR all together but I believe they won't be introducing any DSLR in the future. I don't know if Nikon will make the announcement but I don't think they will introduce any new DSLR either.

" Canon’s Chairman and CEO Fujio Mitarai stated that the DSLR flagship, EOS-1D X Mark III is actually Canon’s last DSLR. Mitarai confirmed that Canon will end the development and production of its DSLR cameras, including the flagships, by transforming manufacturing to produce mirrorless systems only."

Key words: "last DSLR", "end the development and production of its DSLR cameras".

Edited January 10, 2022 by Mary Doo

Nikon could relatively easily update the D850 to use Z7 II sensor and perhaps also the Expeed 7 processor of the Z9 to improve LV AF and video capabilities, and include the improved viewfinder AF from the D6. I'd like to see this happen, but there is no certainty.

I think the D7500 is Nikon's last F-mount DX body and in all likelihood the D6 will be the last F-mount FX body (both it an the D780 were released early in 2020). A D850-update is the only one that appears to make any sense at all (certainly more than continuing the D6 production although it seems kind of fitting that the D6 would be the equivalent to the F6 carrying the torch of a bygone era); though even if Nikon decides to release one, I am not going to rush to the store to buy one.

 

I don't understand why Nikon choose to release the D7500 and wonder if they sold as many of them as they did of the D500 (don't know how well that model sells/sold) - maybe to rid themselves of a surplus of D500 sensors? The D780 was likely released because the D750 was quite long in the tooth (released in 2014) - but what does it really offer that a Z6/Z6II can't do better (aside from focusing screw-driven AF lenses - which Nikon could enable in mirrorless cameras by releasing an FTZ adapter with a build-in AF motor). I don't think a D850-successor will sell in large numbers no matter how it is configured; Nikon is probably better off getting a Z7 III and a Z8 to market.

" Canon’s Chairman and CEO Fujio Mitarai stated that the DSLR flagship, EOS-1D X Mark III is actually Canon’s last DSLR. Mitarai confirmed that Canon will end the development and production of its DSLR cameras, including the flagships, by transforming manufacturing to produce mirrorless systems only."

Key words: "last DSLR", "end the development and production of its DSLR cameras".

Not last DSLR but last Flagship DSLR.

Not last DSLR but last Flagship DSLR.

I am copy-and-pasting: "...stated that the DSLR flagship, EOS-1D X Mark III is actually Canon’s last DSLR". Don't see "flagship" before "DSLR" there. Are you over-interpreting or am I dyslexic? Sure most of us would prefer not to see the era of DSLR end.

no one would like to see the era of DSLR end

...or gasoline powered automobiles, but it's inevitable.

Are you over-interpreting

My understanding is in line with BeBu's and Ilkka's - that the statement is referring to the flagship DSLR line. I used google translate to look at the original article linked in the article you linked to and the statements as translated aren't clear. Unfortunately, I cannot read Japanese and hence can't verify directly from the source; but many articles that refer to the same source give the "flagship DSLR" interpretation.

 

To me it is very clear that there is at most a very limited effort being made to create and release further DSLRs by any manufacturer (Pentax?) and along with that, it is also highly likely that no more lenses for DSLRs will be forthcoming. So in essence it is of no consequence whether the Canon CEO was talking about the end of the flagship DSLR line or the end of the DSLR era in general; fact is that DSLRs days are numbered.

 

Sure most of us would prefer not to see the era of DSLR end.

...or gasoline powered automobiles, but it's inevitable.

True for both. I think the DSLR era will end a bit sooner than that of the gasoline-powered automobile though.

It really depends on what one means by "the end of the (D)SLR era."

 

In November 2018, I bought my first Z body as soon as the Z6 was available. More than a month later, I bought a D850 and a 500mm PF in January 2019, and I thought those would be my final F-mount purchases, dating all the way back to 1977. Fast forward three years, that thought is still holding true.

 

However, I am sure many of us already own a number of DSLR bodies and lenses. Those will continue to work for years to come. I mean, some people still use Nikon film SLRs today, but with film photography, you have an external dependency on film manufacturing and perhaps processing (unless you do your own). With DSLRs, if I still use bodies that use CF cards, maybe I would get a couple of extra cards in case some will fail down the road, but exiting DSLRs and F-mount lenses can work for another 10, 20, maybe 30 years. I have RAW files from my D100 from 2002, 20 years ago. PhotoShop can still open those image files. In that sense the DSLR era will continue for a long time.

 

If you expect Nikon to introduce new F-mount products, DSLRs and lenses, I would say most likely the era that Nikon would introduce new SLR products is ending, or actually may have ended two years ago with the introduction of the D6 in February, 2020.

My understanding is in line with BeBu's and Ilkka's - that the statement is referring to the flagship DSLR line. I used google translate to look at the original article linked in the article you linked to and the statements as translated aren't clear. Unfortunately, I cannot read Japanese and hence can't verify directly from the source; but many articles that refer to the same source give the "flagship DSLR" interpretation.

Dieter, I assume you are referring to this page 2 of the Japanese article:

「６０万円超」高級ミラーレス、大手３社が続々投入…想定超える予約も : 経済 : ニュース : 読売新聞オンライン (yomiuri.co.jp)

 

Canon's CEO is definitely talking about the flagship EOS SLR series, dating back to the 1989 EOS-1 film SLR, has ended with the 2020 EOS 1Dx Mark 3.

 

But even though it is not spelled out explicitly, Canon is facing the same market conditions as Sony and Nikon, and I seriously doubt that Canon will ever introduce another new (D)SLR below the flagship level, other than perhaps some collector's special, limited editions.

For those of us who don't like electronic viewfinders and prefer an optical finder, it sounds like the attitude of the manufacturers is: "Too bad, either deal with it and buy our new ML products, or keep using your old equipment, or buy Pentax". I won't be buying a ML camera, and I have too many F mount lenses to switch systems.

Canon will end the development and production of its DSLR cameras, including the flagships,

If that's a grammatically correct translation, that means ALL DSLRs.